Loss of Health Insurance – Where to Find Help
Allen Gjersvig, Director Outreach and Enrollment with Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers, provides this COVID-19 update for thousands who are losing health insurance coverage or losing income and becoming AHCCCS, KidsCare and SNAP eligible. Read the article or access this Word doc or PDF.
No-cost help is available if consumers want to see if they are eligible for AHCCCS, KidsCare, SNAP or coverage from HealthCare.gov.
If you need help: Contact Cover Arizona at 800.377.3536 or go to www.coveraz.org/connector to ask questions or to make an appointment. Bilingual Certified Application Assisters are available to help you over the phone, you may not need to meet in-person. We can help with Medicaid as well as the Health Insurance Marketplace and seeking a Special Enrollment Period (SEP).
All Federally Qualified Health Centers across Arizona can help also with enrollment and primary care. If someone is uninsured, they may qualify for a sliding-fee. Go to https://www.aachc.org/communityhealthcenters/map/ and enter you zip code to find your nearest Community Health Center and call them to arrange for help with applications.
If you want to do-it-yourself: For AHCCCS, KidsCare and SNAP go to www.healthearizonaplus.gov or 1-855-432-7587 (1-800-HEA-PLUS). For the Health Insurance Marketplace go to www.healthcare.gov or 800.318.2596
Additional Help
Need assistance with food, housing, employment or other services? Check out the resources on www.211arizona.org or dial 2-1-1 to talk with someone about your situation.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance: https://des.az.gov/services/employment/employment/-individual or 877.600.2722, Phoenix: 602.364.2722, Tucson 520.791.2722.
Consider these facts
AHCCCS and KidsCare are open for enrollment year-around. Eligibility is based on income, not assets. Thousands of Arizona’s are eligible but have not tried to enroll. If a family’s income has been reduced, they may now be eligible.
You can use the same application for AHCCCS and KidsCare when applying for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP - formerly Food Stamps), and cash assistance, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
The Health Insurance Marketplace grants Special Enrollment Periods for people who have lost their insurance coverage and for several other reasons. If you recently lost employer - sponsored coverage, you may be eligible to enroll, and if you lose income you may qualify for financial assistance.
For More Information
Allen Gjersvig, Director Outreach and Enrollment
Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers
480.223.3567 voice & text | alleng@aachc.org
